Former MLB pitcher Mitch Williams has been under fire over the past week after he allegedly threw a nutty at his 10-year-old son’s baseball game. Fans who were at the game claimed Williams went crazy on an umpire and even called a child a profane name. Williams was also accused of ordering his pitcher to throw at an opposing player.
Despite his valiant effort to defend himself on Twitter, Williams has reportedly decided to take a leave of absence from his job as an MLB Network analyst.
“Mitch Williams has decided to take a leave of absence from his role at MLB Network at this time,” an MLB Network spokesperson told the NY Daily News. “We are continuing to look into the matter.”
Witnesses told Deadspin that Williams harassed opposing coaches and players throughout the game. Again, we’re talking about 10-year-olds.
“To set the record straight, I was thrown out for laughing at a call,” Williams wrote on Twitter. “Then the (umpire) threatened to fight me. Said pick a time and place. … For those that think I’m making this up, it is on film. When he threatened me (one) of my coaches came out and put his hands on him. The ump and moved him away. The ump said you can’t touch me.
“What the ump didn’t know is my coach is a judge. And my coach told him if we weren’t in Maryland you would be in handcuffs and arrested for threatening me. All I care about is the kids.”
Whether Williams was at fault or not (and it sounds like he had to have been at least partially), that kind of behavior is inexcusable around young children. He seemed to realize that the next day.
I regret what happened at this weekend’s tournament & apologize. I love baseball & coaching.
— Mitch Williams (@WildThingMLBN) May 12, 2014
I did not curse at the umpire & will walk away in the future. Again, I apologize.
— Mitch Williams (@WildThingMLBN) May 12, 2014
There’s no word yet on how much time Williams will miss.
